The Sunflower v. 128 i. 24 (March 21, 2024)

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‘HO NO

Sister Cindy visits campus to share religious views, personal stories

Cindy Smock was a self-proclaimed “disco ho” — a woman searching for self-gratification by fulfilling her sexual desires in whatever way possible. As a journalism student at the University of Florida in the 1970s, Smock considered herself far from religious – until a young preacher made his way onto campus and changed her life.

“I laughed and mocked, and he pointed me out of the crowd and said, ‘Repent of your sins, you wicked woman,’” Smock said. “Then I tried to seduce him … but when he wouldn’t, that opened my heart to the Lord Jesus.”

Four and a half years later, Smock married the preacher, Brother Jed, and began traveling from campus to campus to spread their religious teachings. For the next 39 years, the duo condemned acts of “immorality,” premarital sex, and “feminazi” behavior, beginning what is now called the “Ho No Mo Revolution.”

Smock, better known as Sister Cindy, rose to fame via TikTok in March 2021 after students began posting videos of her preachings at their universities. The social media sensation visited Wichita State for the second time

in her ministry from Tuesday to Thursday after receiving multiple requests from students and followers.

“I became TikTok famous without ever having posted a video,” Sister Cindy said. “I think it’s the Lord that did it.”

After seeing the outpour of support and scorn, Sister Cindy decided to make her own accounts to share where and when she would preach next. The evangelical preacher boasts more than 420,000 followers on TikTok, with an additional 30,000 followers on Instagram.

Sister Cindy said that her large following allows her to amplify the word of God and the “Ho No Mo” message.

Sister Cindy’s teachings on Tuesday centered on “good old fashioned slut shaming,” “the margarita message,” and warnings about “feminazis.”

She scolded students for pursuing “master’s degrees in oral sex” and sodomy and emphasized women’s modesty in God’s teachings.

She also referenced That Chick Angel’s “Margarita Song” and discouraged male students from taking Wichita State girls to Mexican restaurants because “she does not want a taco, or a burrito … she wants you to buy her a margarita.”

Additionally, Sister Cindy criticized

‘Connection, vision and trust’ drive Powell, Grajeda’s student presidential campaign

Aiden Powell and Diana Grajeda are one of two tickets for student body president and vice president with a platform centered on connecting the different areas of Wichita State.

Powell is a junior in organizational leadership at WSU. The presidential candidate is the director of student organizations in Student Government Association (SGA) and the president of the InterFraternity Council, which oversees all of the fraternities at WSU.

He said these positions have given him the chance to meet and connect with various groups around campus.

“I tend to have a strong relationship with organizations,” Powell said. “I was an organization president my sophomore

year, so having that experience has also really helped me a lot.”

Grajeda is a sophomore studying health management along with sociology and leadership. She joined SGA as a senator during her freshman year and currently serves as the director of student leadership. In her role as director, she runs the Freshman Leadership Council, a group of freshmen introduced to organizational planning and networking within WSU. Grajeda said freshmen

and commuters are one of their campaign’s focuses.

“Interacting with all these freshmen students, I’ve been able to ... hear what they like about what they like about Wichita State, what they don’t like, and what they’d like to see,” Grajeda said.

Powell and Grajeda’s campaign points are connection, vision and trust.

One of Grajeda’s goals to build trust is to create a more transparent relationship between the student body and SGA.

“Not every student knows what SGA is, and not every student cares,” Grajeda said. “So hopefully (we) get more out there and let them know what we can do for them because we are by students for students.”

“feminazis,” whom she said want to do three things to men.

“Number one, they want to titty whip you,” she said. “Number two, she wants to grab you by the balls and squeeze your manhood out. And number three, she wants to suck your blood.”

Throughout her four-hour “sermon,” Sister Cindy handed out “Ho No Mo” buttons to students who interacted with her, then took selfies and signed autographs.

“I have a wall in my apartment where I put cursed objects, and so I’m putting it (the button) up there,” student Rennie Jeffries said.

Sister Kathy, who helps Sister Cindy with her social media and travels, joined Sister Cindy in 2022 after Brother Jed died.

Sister Kathy said they travel to college campuses specifically because the students are questioning and more open than older audiences. She also said WSU students are more “decadent” than other crowds.

“Usually (when) people hear my story, they’re kind of shocked by some of the behavior and some of the things that happened to me,” Sister Kathy said. “It’s almost like Wichita, they were cheering for the bad guy.”

SEE CINDY, PAGE 2

Hower, Phan presidential campaign aims to increase outreach, retention through student connections

Wichita State’s speaker of the student senate is one candidate for student body president, and her ticket is making personal connections a priority.

Speaker Kylee Hower is running with Matthew Phan as her vice president. During the 2022-2023 school year, Hower was an underserved senator in the Student Government Association (SGA). Phan served on the Freshman Leadership Council and is currently an engineering senator. Hower said she is running for president to continue her work as speaker and to “uplift student voices.”

“I’m very passionate about advocacy and civic engagement, obviously, and I feel like being president is a great way to accomplish that,” Hower said.

Hower was elected speaker of

the senate in May 2023 after the position was vacated following sexual harassment allegations against the former speaker. Hower said, as president, she would try to instill a culture of accountability and create a “positive, safe environment.”

“One of my biggest goals as speaker was to just make sure that the senators felt safe speaking on issues, felt safe in those spaces, and just kind of cultivating an inclusive environment in the senate,” Hower said. “Because without a diverse senate, you have a weak government.”

Kansas Primary sees low voter turnout, Trump and Biden win their parties

The Kansas Presidential Preference Primary has followed a nationwide trend that has placed President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump as the candidates on the ballot for the 2024 presidential election.

Sedgwick County had 6.22% of registered voters participate in the election. Statewide, there was a 7% turnout.

Trump won 75% of the Republican vote, gaining 39 delegates. Nikki Haley, who suspended her presidential campaign on March 6 after major losses on Super Tuesday, won 16% of the vote. Biden won 83% of the Democratic vote, gaining 33 delegates. 10% of the vote went to “none of these names shown,” and Marianne Williamson received 3% of the votes.

The 2024 presidential election will take place on Nov. 5. To participate in the election, you must register to vote by July 16. To register to vote in Kansas, visit kdor.ks.gov/apps/voterreg

CINDY

FROM PAGE 1

Many of Sister Cindy’s followers support her in a sarcastic manner. Sister Cindy says she understands how her sermons can be entertaining to audiences.

“I don’t mind at all that people are just out here for the entertainment,” Sister Cindy said. “I think I’m popular among college students because they love satire … and I use a lot of satire. But my satire also gives them hope … And there is hope in Jesus Christ.”

Many students in attendance, such as Jeffries, said most WSU listeners weren’t taking Sister Cindy’s messages seriously.

“If she thinks that we’re taking her seriously, she’s delusional,” Jeffries said.

Hayden Hartung, who brought his roommate’s couch outside the Rhatigan to listen to Sister Cindy, said he is agnostic and open to her message.

“I really started listening when she was talking about ‘Don’t take a woman to a Mexican restaurant and give her margaritas’ because I did that the day before, and she got a margarita in her, and notholy things followed after that,” Hartung said. “So I was like, ‘Oh my God, this woman knows, she knows.’”

Alternatively, some of Sister Cindy’s messages are considered harmful toward those in the LGBTQ+ community and women, who are degraded in Sister Cindy’s ministry.

“I have seen a couple of girls from Greek life post pictures with her on Instagram … I personally don’t like that because our sororities are based in supporting women,” Emily Smith, a Gamma Phi Beta member at WSU, said. “I totally understand where people are coming from when they feel like laughing at her, but it just crosses a boundary that I’m not comfortable with.”

While Sister Cindy and her “Ho No Mo Revolution” beliefs cover several controversial subjects, she says her most important goal is bringing others to Jesus, along with building relationships.

Sister Cindy will wrap up her time at Wichita State on Thursday afternoon with one final day of sermons before departing for the University of Oklahoma.

‘Great opportunity’: Cargill Cafe exchange program offers alternative to dining hall

For students living in Shocker Hall, getting meals tends to be a quick trip to the dining hall connected to the building. For students in The Flats and The Suites, though, getting meals requires a much longer walk from the opposite side of campus. Cargill Cafe, located in Woolsey Hall, is offering a solution through a meal exchange program.

The cafe, open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., provides meals to students for free. There is no set menu, but students can typically choose a beverage, chips and a sandwich or other entree. The program also includes vegan and vegetarian options.

According to Jamie Kraisinger, Wichita State’s senior director of Dining Services, the program is open to all students with an unlimited meal plan, but students are limited to one breakfast and one lunch per day.

“On an unlimited plan, it equates to one meal swipe at the dining hall,” Kraisinger said. “Even if you are on an unlimited program, it is limited to just one breakfast and one lunch, just so we make sure we have enough items for everybody to take advantage of.”

Kierstin Nesbitt, a residence assistant at The Suites,

HOWER,

PHAN

FROM PAGE 1

Outside of SGA, Hower is vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion for the Alpha Phi fraternity and part of Student Ambassador Society and the Fairmount College Student Advisory Board.

Phan is the vice president of membership on the Community Service Board and the vice chair of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

“I’m really looking forward to just talking to students down the hallway,” Phan said.

Hower said the ticket’s greatest strength is their “diversity.” She said she chose Phan as her vice president because they both see “very different sides of campus.”

“Because we’re involved in so many organizations and because we don’t have a lot of overlap with those organizations, we have a wider perspective on what students need,” Hower said.

The pair’s campaign has four goals: engagement, outreach, retention and sustainability.

ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH

Phan said reaching out to students is a “core aspect” of the campaign. They have already

appreciates the convenience and quality of the food provided by the program.

“It’s a great opportunity and a chance to be able to just walk right up there and get your food,” Nesbitt said. “It’s actually pretty good meals, and there’s a variety, too. I really like that, especially for a lot of residents who just want to get their food, go back to their room and start studying instead of having to walk 10 minutes there and 10 minutes back.”

Natalia Rojas, a resident at The Suites, said she is frustrated with the distance between the dining hall and her dorm.

“I hate it so much because I love living here, and the distance is the worst part,” Rojas said. “For lunch, (the dining hall is) really convenient because it’s just there between all the buildings themselves. But for dinner, I don’t like to always make food, and I do not want to go all the way over in the dark in the cold.”

Nesbitt, who eats most of her meals during the week from the restaurants at the Rhatigan Student Center, appreciates the variety provided by the Cargill Cafe; however, she hopes to see more dining options for students in the future.

“It would be nice to have closer restaurants,” Nesbitt said. “We have the restaurants that are like the Social Tap and stuff like that,

scheduled meetings with student organizations.

Their planned initiatives include visiting first-year seminars, hosting town halls and posting SGA updates on a website.

Phan said it is important to reach out to recognized student organizations (RSOs) about their needs, “especially after what happened in appropriations this year.” Last fall, the Student Senate went through multiple rounds of allocations for RSOs after several organizations visited the Student Senate.

“It’s been really interesting to hear from the students, what they think their issues are and how we can actually respond to them,” Phan said.

Phan also aims to encourage more students to run for Student Senate positions. Special election results in January will change the make-up of senate seats and is estimated to cut the total seats to 50, in SGA’s upcoming session, aiming to increase competition and productivity within SGA.

RETENTION

The pair also plans to improve student retention at Wichita State.

In 2022, the National Institute for Student Success reported that the university was 11 points below

but a lot of them don’t accept dining (dollars). So I think that’d be really cool to have an opportunity to have a wider variety of things like this.”

Kraisinger said the Cargill Cafe will “most definitely” continue the program to serve students in future semesters.

“We’re hoping, in the long run, to be able to add some hot items to it,” Kraisinger said. “We’re looking at next semester expanding the sushi menu and continuing with that, fingers crossed … We want to make sure we’re as accommodating while students are on campus as possible.”

According to Kraisinger, the program, which currently serves about 50 students a day, also creates minimal waste.

“We’re trying to be very sustainable,” Kraisinger said. “What happens is we take sandwiches over fresh every day. If they are not sold, they are either taken to the Groundhouse for sale or they are donated to the Shocker Hall team just to hand out.”

Rojas encourages other students to take advantage of the program.

“If you’re really busy and you’re in the area, it’s super convenient, and it’s free,” Rojas said. “It’s literally like the dining hall, all the things are good quality. So go ahead and try it. There’s literally nothing you can lose.”

the 57-point national average regarding the retention of firstyear students within a six-year graduation program year. In 2020, WSU’s fall retention rate was 71.9%. Nearly 30% of students didn’t return the next year.

Hower said “identifying the problem” of why students leave is their focus.

The presidential candidate said she is currently talking with students to learn what they would like improved at WSU. The duo then aims to implement that feedback by working with student organizations and campus departments.

“We really want to just do what we can to bolster a positive student experience on campus that encourages students to keep coming back,” Hower said.

Phan also emphasized developing relationships with students, both throughout the student body and within the senate.

“Making a personal connection with students and actually getting to know students one on one — if we can do that, more students are more likely to stay,” Phan said.

SUSTAINABILITY

Hower said sustainability is a big priority for their campaign.

“We’d like to try and build a

POWELL, GRAJEDA

FROM PAGE 1

Powell says that it’s necessary for clear conversations around SGA and that he believes that there should be a zero-tolerance harassment policy.

“Having that trust, the ability to be able to feel free to come forward is something that is super important with our ticket,” Powell said.

STUDENT GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE

The candidates said executive branch membership under Student Body President Iris Okere’s administration has impacted their perspective of operations.

“We are wanting to continue the path that has already been laid,” Powell said. “They’ve (the current administration) done a lot of great work, but there’s always some new initiatives that we can start.”

Grajeda said she takes keeping up with the legislative process seriously. Her role as director of leadership and engagement allowed her the time to regularly attend SGA senate meetings.

“I was able to put a lot of time into … being in the know with the legislative branch,” Grajeda said “So it’s really like I was semi-participating in both (the Senate and the executive branch) throughout the year.”

Both candidates said their experience in the executive branch would positively impact their experience if they gained office.

“If we were to be elected, we will definitely hit the ground running,” Powell said. “Especially since we are two executive members … we’re able to have a quick turnaround from going from the executive branch to the executive branch.”

More information on Powell and Grajeda’s campaign can be found on their Instagram @powell.grajeda67.

The presidential and vice presidential candidates will debate on March 20 and 25. Both debates will be held at 6 p.m. in Rhatigan Student Center 233 and livestreamed on SGA’s YouTube.

The election will be held from April 1-3 via ShockerSync.

sustainability plan for the university that recommends ways to cut back waste,” Hower said. “Then we’d also like to do what we can to bolster and revamp the community garden.”

Within SGA, Hower plans to create a committee under SGA’s sustainability director to carry out those initiatives. She said a potential goal would include hosting a sustainability week to educate students.

WHERE TO FIND THEM

Hower and Phan said, if elected, their doors would always be open, and they would encourage “an open dialogue” with students who have any concerns.

“I feel like just having an open conversation and responding to those comments with positivity only is the best way to go about that,” Hower said.

More information on Hower and Phan’s campaign is available on their Instagram, @hower_phan67.

The presidential and vice presidential candidates will debate on March 20 and 25 at 6 p.m. in Rhatigan Student Center 233. The debates are also live-streamed on SGA’s YouTube.

The election will be held from April 1-3 via ShockerSync.

Basketball’s Isaac Abidde enters NCAA transfer portal

Wichita State basketball redshirt sophomore Isaac Abidde became the first Shocker player this offseason to enter the NCAA transfer portal on Monday.

The news was first reported by Verbal Commits, then confirmed by The Wichita Eagle through a Wichita State spokesperson.

Abidde was a late addition to the team in 2021 and decided to redshirt his first season. He saw limited playing time throughout his two years with the Shockers.

During his first season in , 20222023, the 6-foot-8 forward showed out against Southern Methodist University with a career-high 32 minutes in double overtime with six rebounds and three points only to go out of the rotation again.

This season, Abidde was off to a promising start as he scored 40 combined points in the first four games and made it into the starting lineup during the non-conference schedule. He went out of the rotation when junior forward Ronnie DeGray III made his debut on Dec. 18 against Southern Illinois.

Once the Shockers made it to conference play, Abidde saw about 5.5 minutes of play per game. He averaged out the season with 3.3 points and 1.8 rebounds while shooting 43.6% from the field.

The NCAA transfer portal allows athletes to talk to other teams while still maintaining the option of returning to their original school.

Former Wichita State basketball player Jalen Ricks, who sat out this past season, also entered the transfer portal. Abidde and Ricks open up two scholarship spots on the roster.

Baseball comes up short vs. Kansas State thanks to sixth-inning errors

assistantsports@thesunflower.com

Tuesday night’s Eck Stadium crowd was evenly divided between Wichita State black and gold and Kansas State University purple.

While the Shocker fans were the loudest throughout the game, the Wildcats had the final roar, winning 8-6.

Wichita State dropped to 13-7 on the year. Kansas State improved to 14-6, extending its winning streak to six games.

Freshman left-handed pitcher

Tyler Dobbs earned his third start on the mound. He sent the Wildcats down 1-2-3 in the first.

In the Shockers’ turn, senior Dayvin Johnson and redshirt junior Jordan Rogers smacked consecutive doubles to score a run, and a wild pitch plated Rogers for an early 2-0 Wichita State lead.

In the third, Dayvin Johnson and Rogers both reached base before an out was made. Junior Derek Williams doubled off the wall in left-center, driving both runners in to make the score 4-0.

The Wildcats scored their first run in the fourth, but Wichita State maintained its lead into the top of the sixth, which began with a bloop single that dropped just in front of second-baseman Rogers.

Dobbs gave up another single and coerced a strikeout before an RBI double down the left-field line drove him out of the game.

Sophomore right-handed pitcher Caleb Anderson came in and hit a batter to load the bases. The next batter rolled over a grounder, but freshman shortstop Darnell Parker Jr. didn’t have a play, scoring another run.

The Wildcats tied the game on a walk and took the lead on a fielder’s choice. With two outs,

Dayvin Johnson couldn’t track a lazy fly ball in center, allowing two more runs to make it 7-4.

Wichita State started off the bottom of the sixth with two hitby-pitches, and senior Seth Stroh drove the runners home with a triple down the right field line, making the score 7-6.

The seventh started with a leadoff double, but Dayvin Johnson preserved the one-run deficit with a diving catch in center. He said that bouncing back on the field after the sixth-inning miscue was all part of the mental game.

“You could argue that (it) cost us the game, and that hurt me, so I knew I had to come back and do something,” Johnson said.

Kansas State expanded its lead to two in the ninth, plating a run aided by a fielding error from Rogers. In the bottom of the ninth,

Stroh reached second on an error, but Kansas State snuck away with the win as the Shockers went down without a hit after that.

Anderson left with the loss, giving up three earned runs and securing only one out. On offense, Dayvin Johnson had three hits, and Rogers knocked two doubles. Rogers said despite the loss, competitive games show Wichita State can compete with the best.

“We have a pretty good approach at the plate,” Rogers said. “We throw a lot of strikes. We’re a really good team, if we’re going to be a great team, we’ve got to make some better plays on defense.”

Wichita State will enter conference play this weekend when it takes on the University of Alabama at Birmingham on the road. The three-game series is scheduled to begin on Friday, March 22 at 5 p.m.

Shocker Sports Roundup: What you missed over the weekend

MEN’S TENNIS

Wichita State took a road trip to North Carolina last week, losing four consecutive games from Tuesday, March 12, to Saturday, March 16. The Shockers are now 3-14 this season, riding a six-game losing streak.

On Tuesday, Wichita State was swept by the University of North Carolina Wilmington, 4-0, and lost to the University of New Mexico on the following day by the same score.

The Shockers were bested by William & Mary on Thursday, 4-1, before losing their closest matchup of the road trip to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte on

Saturday, 4-3.

The matchup against Charlotte came down to court one, where after a hard-fought match, freshman Alejandro Jacome lost in the third set, 7-5.

Men’s tennis continues their season in Houston, Texas on Friday, March 22, against Rice.

SOFTBALL

Softball swept conference opponent East Carolina on the road, bringing the team’s record to 13-10 and 4-2 in the American Athletic Conference.

Sophomore Taylor Sedlacek set the tone in the first inning of the Friday opener, smashing a grand slam to give the Shockers a lead it wouldn’t relinquish, winning 4-1. Sophomore Alex Aguilar gave up

only one run in six innings and had a no-hitter until the fourth, acquiring her fourth win of the year.

Sedlacek continued her hot hitting in game two, going 3-for-3 and smacking another first-inning homer, this time for three runs.

East Carolina closed the gap to 6-5 in the sixth inning, but freshman Chloe Barber closed out the game in the seventh for her second save of the series.

Wichita State closed out the series, winning 9-1 on Sunday. The Shockers run-ruled the Pirates after a four-run fifth inning, completing its first sweep of the season. Sedlacek went 2-2 with yet another home run. Senior Lauren Howell pitched all five innings and stuck out seven.

The Shockers return home from Friday to Sunday against The University of Texas at San Antonio. First pitch is scheduled for Friday at 6 p.m.

WOMEN’S TENNIS

Wichita State played consecutive games on Saturday and Sunday in Charlotte, North Carolina, beating the University of Denver, 4-1, but losing to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in a 4-0 sweep.

After the weekend, Wichita State improved its record to 10-5 on the season. The Charlotte loss snapped a five-game winning streak for the Shockers.

A shorthanded Denver team didn’t field a player on the third doubles court or sixth singles

court on Saturday. Redshirt senior Natsumi Kurahashi was defeated on court one in singles, but Wichita State won in singles and on courts two and four to secure the victory.

On Sunday, Charlotte knocked off Wichita State in a deceptively close sweep, with the Shockers winning a court in doubles and competing hard in nearly every game. Freshman Xin Tong Wang was defeated on the second court, snapping a nine-match winning streak.

Wichita State, now ranked 55th nationally, travels to Memphis, Tennessee, to take on the University of Alabama at Birmingham on Saturday, March 30, and Memphis on Sunday, March 31.

Women’s golf places 14th at Red Rocks Invitational

The Wichita State’s women’s golf team competed in the Red Rocks Invitational held in Sedona, Arizona, playing 54 holes on Saturday and Sunday. The Shockers finished in 14th place out of 20 teams, shooting a collective 907 strokes.

Northern Arizona University and Seattle University tied for first place with 881 strokes.

Wichita State’s best individual outing came from sophomore Kate Tilma, who tied for 24th place and shot 222 for the tournament, six strokes over par.

ROUND ONE

On Saturday, March 16, the Shockers shot 307 strokes, totaling nine birdies as a team.

Redshirt freshman Lauren Thiele led the charge for Wichita State as she shot a 75, putting together a 36 on the back nine.

Tilma and sophomore

Brooklyn Benn each shot a 77 in the opening round, and sophomore Mackenzie Wilson shot a 78.

ROUND TWO

In the second 18 holes on Saturday, the Shockers shot a 305. Tilma shot the best round of the tournament for Wichita State with a 71, capping off her day with an eagle on the par-five 18th hole. Following her was Benn, who shot a 76 and made four birdies.

ROUND THREE

The Shockers shot a 295 on the final day of the tournament on Sunday, moving out of a tie for 15th place going into round three with California State University, Northridge. Thiele made four birdies en route to finishing her round with 73 strokes.

Tilma, Benn and senior Madison Slayton all shot a 74 in round three, with Slayton shooting a 34 on the back nine. Wilson shot a 79 to round out her tournament.

Wichita State’s women’s golf team will compete in the Oral Roberts Spring Invitational in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, from April 8 to 9, in the last tournament before the American Athletic Conference Championship.

Is ‘Minecraft’ really even ‘Minecraft’ anymore?

“Minecraft” has taken the world by storm ever since its release in 2009. The blocky sandbox survival environment is made for a million and one possibilities so that any player of any age can play it how they want. With the rising popularity of YouTube and the gaming community as a whole, “Minecraft” became a worldwide phenomenon.

“Minecraft” did not stop evolving with its initial release. Throughout the years, parent company Mojang has added more and more to the game. At first, the updates truly made the game what it is known for today.

The introduction of a new realm was one of the first to spark excitement, otherwise known as the Nether, released in 2010. Players could now make a portal to a fiery dangerous place with all new creatures, items and places to explore. This was completely different from what early “Minecraft” YouTubers were used to. The drastic change from the “overworld” to the Nether became a staple in everything from “Minecraft” songs and parodies to completionist speedruns.

The most popular example would be the addition of creative mode, which was added on and off for a bit before being fully implemented in 2011 in the Beta 1.8 version. Many players who were uninterested in the game’s survival aspects could still play around with building in the “creative”

mode, which allowed the player to fly, have access to all items and be invincible.

Along with the Nether, another realm was added, along with a technical “ending” to the game in 2011. With version 1.0 came the creatively titled region of The End. The End also added all new features, with the most notable being the first boss of the game, the Ender Dragon. Players were introduced to a credit scene, which had beautiful and now iconic messaging in its final lines, such as, “And the universe said I love you.”

Even when a lot of blocks were retextured in 2019 or Java Edition 1.14, the game still held a charm that was undeniable across the internet and player base.

From “Minecraft” YouTubers to casual players, everyone could agree “Minecraft” was one of the best games to come out in recent history. Or, at least, it was.

The game has undergone many updates. While players were extremely excited by the first few, it became rather exhausting with time. Many have begun to argue the game barely feels like its original IP at this point.

The 1.16 “Nether Update,” released in 2019, brought lots of cool additions to the Nether biome, but it also introduced “netherite,” which was the new strongest material in the game. This upset many players, as diamonds had been the strongest since the very beginning. Many players felt that introducing the new ore made diamond ore irrelevant to an extent, and with that, finding a diamond became less of an exciting experience, especially with how annoying it

was to farm and get “netherite.”

One of the game’s most disappointing updates is often recalled to be the “Frostburn” update, or Java Edition 1.10, in 2016. While the update added new blocks like magma, nether wart and red nether brick, as well as new mobs such as strays (a snowy version of skeletons), polar bears and husks (a desert version of zombies), people found these additions to be underwhelming. Polar bears still hold zero use in the game other than being a set piece, even eight years later.

Trivial mobs like polar bears and mountain goats really highlight the main problem a lot of people have with the game at this point. Seasoned players feel like Mojang just keeps adding new things in order to fight for the game’s relevancy without fully fleshing out ideas and concepts.

A great example would be the “Wild Update,” or 1.19, added in 2022. While being hyped up as one of the coolest new updates, the additions were a letdown for many people.

The Warden and the introduction of Ancient Cities were supposed to make for a harder boss, as many had found the Ender Dragon too easy at this point; however, the Warden itself ended up being almost impossible to beat, being able to kill players in two hits — with the strongest gear in the game on. Not only is the Warden incredibly strong, it can attack through walls and in all directions, with both melee and aerial attacks. Multiple Wardens are able to spawn at the same time, leaving Ancient Cities pretty much

unplayable. This left many players frustrated, especially because the Warden did not even drop anything incredibly useful if you were to succeed in killing it.

Along with this was the introduction of Allays, passive creatures made in order to be a companion to players and fetch items. Even though many were excited, a lot of players have never even encountered these, as they are extremely difficult to actually find. Though Mojang succeeded in making an interesting new concept, the execution was poor enough that many players didn’t even know it existed.

Lastly, frogs, tadpoles and swamp biomes were added. Again, many players were excited for this, but the new mobs and biomes did basically nothing. Mojang failed to even add new explorable structures to the swamp. Frogs and tadpoles fell into the same useless corner with polar bears. (So sorry, polar bears, I still love you.)

In my opinion, “Minecraft” needs to slow down. The game’s relevance, while in question before, has always stayed as one of the most popular games, and fans would easily wait just a bit longer to receive better and more flushedout updates. The limitless possibility brought by its fun environment drew so many people to the game.

While I see the want to add more and more to the game to make it “better,” I think the real appeal of the game is not from the incessant updates and new features, but more from the simplicity the game had to offer at its core. At the end of the day, this is what has caused “Minecraft” to feel less and less like the game we grew up with.

MINECRAFT’S MOST NOTABLE UPDATES

opinion@thesunflower.com

The Pretty Scary Update

Released in October 2012, the 1.4.2 update added an entirely new boss to the game, the Wither. With this came Wither skeletons, witches, bats and zombie villagers. New foods such as carrots and potatoes and blocks such as command blocks and anvils were added to enhance gameplay.

The Update That Changed The World

1.7, released in October 2013, lived up to its name by completely restructuring the Minecraft world. This update added two new types of trees, 12 new flowers (including a replacement for the rose) and 10 new biomes.

The Frostburn Update

The June 2016 update, 1.10, marked the decay of Minecraft for many players. Perhaps a prelude to the Nether Update in 2020, this update added new additions to the Nether, a largely unchanged dimension since its release. Husks and strays, variations of existing mobs, were also added.

Village and Pillage

1.14, released in April 2019, was a welcome update for Minecraft players. Villages were completely upgraded to be more useful as well as the addition of Pillagers to give players more enemies. Blocks were also retextured to keep up with the latest additions.

Caves and Cliffs 1.17 came out in June 2021 and addressed many players’ requests for more elaborate and engaging cave systems. However, players were largely unsatisfied with the changes added, with common complaints being that the additions were onedimensional and useless.

Ariana Grande’s new album is my eternal sunshine

Lightly veiled astrology references and whole-hearted emotion are wrapped up wonderfully in Ariana Grande’s newest album, “eternal sunshine.”

The 13-track project is her seventh studio album. She clocked in for a total of 36 minutes in collaboration with other industry heavyweights, such as Max Martin (who helped write or produce 11 of 13 songs), ILYA, Shintaro Yasuda, Nick Lee and others.

She went from a fun and bubbly “thank u, next” to a masterpiece of an album as she tells her point of view in “eternal sunshine.” She additionally sings on a few untrue ideas and concepts throughout the project.

“eternal sunshine” emerges as a deeply introspective masterpiece that showcases the artist’s artistic evolution since her last album in 2020. Since the chart topping “Positions,” Grande entered a few new chapters in her life and career.

The album explores profound themes in her personal life, notably inspired by the demise of her two-year relationship with ex-husband Dalton Gomez during the COVID-19 pandemic. Grande filed for divorce in February 2023, citing “irreconcilable differences.”

At the core of “eternal sunshine” is the astrological concept of Saturn Return, symbolizing mental clarity in her thirties. Her tracks explore the messy aftermath of her divorce, the perspective-shifting changes of her Saturn Return and the complexities of memory.

The motif intersects with the thematic exploration inspired by the Oscar-winning film “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” delving into fate, love and memory in evolving romantic relationships.

Grande embraces her vulnerability in a way I haven’t heard in her music before. Her melodies are immaculate, of course, but her lyrics hit harder than usual because she tapped into more personal ideas and concepts that people appreciate and relate to more.

The first track is the introduction to the album “intro (end of

the world).” To sum it up, she asks a question that has been burning in the back of her mind for quite some time: “If the sun refused to shine / baby, would I still be your lover?”

She obviously received her answer with the following song on the album, “bye.” She sings “byebye / boy, bye” in response to the reaction she received. The second song in the album is a bop.

Grande’s exploration of pop and R&B is evident in the adventurous melodies and the album’s thematic murkiness. The self-penned lyrics reveal remarkable personal growth, making “eternal sunshine” her most vulnerable musical release as she continues the album with other perspectives.

“bye” is defiant while “don’t wanna break up again” dives into apathy and fatigue. It is gloomy with dance beats that amplify her emotional resonance.

The interlude, “Saturn Returns,” features astrologer Diana Garland. She offers insight into the astrological phenomenon.

The titular track, “eternal sunshine,” and others like “supernatural” and “true story” further

explore love, magic and their intermingling with personal narratives.

“eternal sunshine” is my favorite song on the album. Grande expresses her feelings of a betrayal she experienced. She sings about the lies of the character in question. In the chorus, she continues to mention another woman joining her picture: “Now she’s in my bed, laying on your chest.” The lyrics become more upsetting as they continue to the next verse.

The track is the perfect combination of pop and romanticized melancholy to sing along to but also feel what she is going through.

The further into the album you get, the more you hear how

“eternal sunshine” is not so sunny. The imagery of the album art shows Grande glowing in the foreground but surrounded by darkness behind her.

“yes, and?” stands out as a response to criticism, spending a week on the Hot 100 and receiving a remix with Mariah Carey. I enjoyed this teaser to “eternal sunshine.”

“we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” draws thematic and productional parallels to Grande’s earlier hit “Love Me Harder” with The Weeknd.

“i wish i hated you” and “imperfect for you” continue the exploration of relationships, while “ordinary things” featuring Nonna, Grande’s grandmother, imparts sage relationship advice, closing the album on a heartfelt note.

Grande’s willingness to lay bare her heart and mind elevates this collection to a poignant and unforgettable listening experience.

“eternal sunshine” is not merely an album; it’s a musical memoir, a personal journey through love, loss and self-discovery. It was an essential step in Grande’s career and talents as an artist.

‘TRANSFORMATION’

New Mexico band, Dust City Opera, is bringing ‘haunted grunge folk’ to town in April

Dust City Opera is an alternative rock band from Albuquerque, New Mexico. The group boasts a wide range of influences, coming together in a sound which frontman Paul Hunton described as “haunted grunge folk” and “a carnivalish mishmash of esoteric nonsense.”

On April 8, they’ll bring that sound to WAVE as part of a tour promoting their newest EP, “Cold Hands,” released March 8.

Hunton said he dreamed up Dust City Opera in 2018 “to house my growing collection of songs that I’d written.”

He recruited Clara Byom (clarinet and accordion), Travis Rourk (trombone), Scott Brewer (bass), and most recently, drummer Jesse Culberson.

The group has since made a name for themselves in their hometown, winning New Mexico Entertainment Magazine awards

Drinking beers in the yard turns into some sort of spiritual revelation.

PAUL HUNTON Frontman of Dust City Opera

including “Top Rock Group” and “Best Rock Album” for “Alien Summer” in 2023.

“Cold Hands” is their first release since signing to Rexius Records, a Swedish-based label that specializes in “upcoming” artists.

Brewer said “Cold Hands” is unique from their previous music, including albums “Heaven” in 2019 and “Alien Summer” in 2022, because each band member had a hand in the process, rather than working off of music already written by Hunton.

“I think transformation is kind of the theme that I think every song has in some form or another,” Hunton said. “That’s been the case with some songs in the past, but I think on this, every one of them

is some sort of either death or in rebirth or going through some sort of tunnel and coming out the other side.”

Hunton said each song incorporates that concept in different ways, including the opening track, “Drunk On A Ladder,” in which “drinking beers in the yard turns into some sort of spiritual revelation.”

“That’s what compels me in songs and stories, I think, is a big transformation,” Hunton said. “There’s a lot of songs about, you know, bumping up on someone on the dance floor or whatever, but that’s never been that interesting to me. I’d rather hear a harrowing tale of suffering and catharsis.”

But, despite the themes in Dust City Opera’s music, Rourk said “We don’t take ourselves as seriously as our lyrics would suggest.”

Wichita’s MILKWAVE will join Dust City Opera for the April 8 show. Doors open at 6 p.m., and tickets can be purchased at WAVE’s website.

‘Makes me work even harder’: Art curator brings fresh perspective to art students

From Berlin to Wichita, Jefferson Godard’s love for art remains constant. The curator and educator’s passion, sparked by a meaningful experience with Salvador Dalí’s painting “The Ecumenical Council,” grew into a lifelong pursuit to highlight artists.

“My passion lies with curating and learning more about artists, and hopefully inspiring other people and igniting interest about artists,” Godard said

Currently, Godard works at Wichita State University as an educator and as the gallery manager for ShiftSpace and Clayton Staples Gallery.

“I would say that the WSU student is very motivated and very hungry. And I really, really like this, this makes me work even harder,” Godard said.

Godard’s academic involvement with art began with a study of architecture. He received a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Florida Atlantic University and a master’s from Anhalt University of Applied Sciences in Germany.

“I love architecture, the world of architecture. I love studying it and I love talking about it. I love teaching it — I don’t really like practicing it.” Godard said.

Godard worked as an architectural designer in Miami for a year to gain enough experience to teach it. Shortly after, his career shifted trajectory into art curation.

“Curation, for me, is about sharing work with other people, and about learning and equally learning more about the artists you’re working with,” Godard said. “I really love learning more about artists, learning more about their practice and learning more about different artists. This to me is endlessly fascinating.”

From 2012 to 2021, Godard directed Aspect/Ratio Projects, a commercial gallery in Chicago. The gallery focused on showing and representing artists at different stages of their career with video work and performative themes.

Godard expanded his eye for art during his years abroad studying in Germany. He also spent time in Northern Africa and various European cities, observing different perspectives on art.

“I think travel is absolutely essential. I encourage students to travel, it really just opens your minds to new cultures, new people. I think you have to just get out,” Godard said.

Having worked at five different universities, Godard finds his work at Wichita State unique. He said that he is inspired by the passion he’s observed in Wichita State students.

“The main thing I want them to have is criticality. I want them to develop their own voice, and not feel like they have to mirror or parrot what someone else is saying,” Godard said.

“To understand that there isn’t objectivity to good design and good art.”

BALLIN’ OUT

Over spring break, the Wichita State men’s and women’s basketball teams traveled to Fort Worth, Texas, to play in the AAC tournament.

UPCOMING EVENTS

CLASH BUILD CASH

THURSDAY, MARCH 21

Noon - 5 p.m. | John Bardo Center

PEE FOR PIZZA

THURSDAY, MARCH 21

Noon - 4 p.m. | Steve Clark YMCA & Student Wellness Center

SOCIETY OF PUBLIC HISTORIANS MEETING

THURSDAY, MARCH 21

Noon - 1 p.m. | Fiske Hall

PUSHING THROUGH PERFECTIONISM MINISERIES

THURSDAY, MARCH 21

2 - 3 p.m. | Ablah Library

WOMEN’S HISTORY PANEL

THURSDAY, MARCH 21

2:30 - 4 p.m. | Rhatigan Student Center

WRITING NOW READING

NOW: FICTION READING BY BEE SACKS

THURSDAY, MARCH 21

5:30 - 7 p.m. | Ulrich Museum

VOLUNTEER AT THE UNITED WAY GIV WAREHOUSE

FRIDAY, MARCH 22

Midnight - 4:30 p.m. | United Way GIV Warehouse

HEALTHCARE RESEARCH ROUNDTABLE AND SUMMIT

FRIDAY, MARCH 22

8 a.m. - 3 p.m. | Hughes Metropolitan Complex

SHOCKERS STRIVE: STAFF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE

FRIDAY, MARCH 22

8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. | Rhatigan Student Center

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

RESEARCH LUNCH & LEARN: MARKET RESEARCH FOR STARTUPS

FRIDAY, MARCH 22

Noon - 1 p.m. | Ablah Library

PERSONAL BRANDING

FRIDAY, MARCH 22

12:30 - 2 p.m. | Rhatigan Student Center

FLINT HILLS ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONFERENCE

SATURDAY, MARCH 23 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. | Woolsey Hall

TROLLS MOVIE EXPERIENCE

SATURDAY, MARCH 23 6 p.m. | CAC Theater

RAMADAN IFTAAR BANQUET

MONDAY, MARCH 25 8 a.m. | Wiedemann Hall

SCHOOL OF MUSIC SHOCKER SING

MONDAY, MARCH 25 5 - 8 p.m. | McKnight Art Center

TRIVIA NIGHT SERIES: DIVAS OF MUSIC

MONDAY, MARCH 25

5:30 - 6:30 p.m. | Rhatigan Student Center

SCHOOL OF MUSIC HIGH SCHOOL ORCHESTRA

FESTIVAL

TUESDAY, MARCH 26 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. | Duerksen Fine Arts Center

HAVE AN EVENT YOU WOULD LIKE LISTED?

CONTACT THE ARTS EDITOR: arts@thesunflower.com

CONTACT THE NEWS EDITOR: news@thesunflower.com